Michigan claims $42M of $2.2B drug settlement

LANSING (AP) -- Michigan will get $42 million as part of a $2.2 billion national settlement with Johnson & Johnson over allegations that the company promoted powerful psychiatric drugs for unapproved uses in children, seniors and disabled patients. State Attorney General Bill Schuette said Monday that most of the money will go back to Michigan's Medicaid program. Justice Department officials say Johnson & Johnson used illegal marketing tactics and kickbacks to persuade physicians and pharmacists to prescribe the antipsychotic drugs Risperdal and Invega and the heart failure drug Natrecor. While doctors are allowed to prescribe medicines for any use, drugmakers can't promote them in any way that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn't approved. Published: Wed, Nov 6, 2013